Actuating a trunk lid without contact can be useful for example when a person has their hands full with objects and manually operating the trunk lid is not possible or only possible with difficulty. The object detected by the detection means can be a person who approaches the vehicle with the intention of actuating the trunk lid or a side door or the like. The actuating of the trunk lid, the side door or the like thereby designates both an opening action, for example when a person wants to place an object held in both hands in the trunk or passenger compartment, or the actuation relates to a closing action when the person takes an object out of the trunk or passenger compartment using both hands.
EP 1 902 912 A1 discloses a generic device for actuating a vehicle trunk lid without contact. A detection means in the form of a sensor arrangement is proposed therein which monitors some of the area outside the vehicle for the presence of an object or part of a user's body. The sensor device is installed and aligned such that it can detect part of a leg or a foot of the person standing next to the vehicle.
Detection thereby further comprises a body movement, for example related to the lifting or turning of the leg or the foot of the person within the area outside of the vehicle monitored by the sensor arrangement. A signal to actuate the trunk lid can thereby also be disadvantageously triggered in cases not necessarily involving the person's leg or foot. For example, animals can pass through the area outside of the vehicle monitored by the sensor arrangement or an object, for example a ball, can move or roll through the monitored outside area. It is thus advantageous to prevent a malfunctioning of the vehicle trunk lid actuation.
A further device for actuating a trunk lid of a vehicle without contact using detection means is known from DE 10 2004 041 709 B3. This document proposes arranging a first detection means for detecting an object in a first detection area and a second detection means for detecting an object in a second detection area such that said detection means can activate the trunk lid actuation. Reference is made to vehicle devices known as distance detection systems or PDC systems (park distance control systems) as the detection means. These systems operate via ultrasound or radar sensors and serve to monitor an area outside of the vehicle.
Ultrasound sensors or radar sensors used as detection means for detecting objects in the area outside of the vehicle exhibit high power consumption. Therefore, continuous monitoring of the area outside of the vehicle by such sensors cannot be satisfactorily realized. The vehicle's battery is used as the energy source to supply said sensors such that the device for the non-contact actuating of a trunk lid cannot remain switched on permanently.